Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Strangely compulsive, 21 Nov 2008
This is an odd novel that is challenging to desicribe in an understandable way. A father and son pass several days in fearful existence after some apocolyptic event. We know very little more than that about the background; who are these people? What has happened? How did the main characters survive when it seems others didn't? Building on that background of ignorance the novel describes in fair detail the fear and uncertainty of several day's existence, but without a very clear conlusion. If I read that description in a review then it would hardly inspire me to reach out and take this novel off the shelf and yet it is oddly compulsive and oddly gripping. Despite the descriptive nature of a lot of the narrative that moves on without much sense of plot or story the mood created is spellbinding and the description of bond between father and son is extrmely touching.

Dazzling brilliance..., 20 Nov 2008
This is a dazzling, bewitching book, which takes the rule book and throws it out of the window, yet manages to transfix, and hammer the heart and the mind. I can't vouch for any other McCarthy books as this is my first, but it is breathtaking.

The list of what McCarthy doesn't do is long - no character names, almost no physical description of anyone, no direct dialogue, no explanations, no back story. But the list of what he does do is stunning - the characters have subtlety and are multi-faceted, the bleak new world is portrayed in vivid and impactive tones, and the whole book leaves the reader both shattered and thoughtful. The relationship between the man and his son is touching, elegantly-crafted, underplayed and genuine.

The simple style and basic plot is deliberate, and demands a high level of skill to make it into a thought-provoking and brilliant journey for the reader. This book is proof that it is the mind of the author that makes the difference; these basic resources in most hands would be dull, predictable and immature. McCarthy is able to exploit the gaps in your knowledge, and the absence of detail, as positives; the book treats you as an intelligent adult who wants to form their own opinion, instead of being spoon-fed and signposted.

What a contrast this is to some of the dross out there. How easy it is to recognise a great book when you see it - and how vividly it throws up the contrast between this, and many other lauded authors.


A book that will stay with you.., 20 Nov 2008
The Road was originally released in 2006, and one year later, it was the winner of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It has received many outstanding reviews, but also some negative. With the release of Harvey Weinstein's film in 2009, panmacmillan are releasing a film tie-in version.

The Road tells of a journey taken by a man and his son, years following an unnamed catastrophe that has befallen North America, and presumably the rest of the world. There are brief hints as to what has happened, but nothing more. Most of life has gone.. plants are dead, and most species are extinct.

This is not an action tale, which seems to be the main point of the negative reviews. The story does not depend on moments of drama or terror, but rather the day to day struggle to exist, in a bleak world.

The style is basic and minimal, with no chapters, and no speech marks. It takes a while to get used to, but once involved in the book, the style allows the journey and the story to unfold, without any distraction.

Set against this dark background, is the close relationship between the father and son, as they continuously strive to survive. This closeness is ever apparent, as they rely on each other day to day. Through them you feel fear, love and also hope, as they attempt their continuous journey together.

An action book this may not be, but it's certainly one that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Harrowing. try not to cry at the end like i did., 19 Nov 2008
The Dialouge: spare rhythmical exchange between father and son in a post apocolyptic hell world. ( I believed every word they said to each other, Realism!!! so amazing)

The Writing: some good similies. the Father's thoughts are beautiful and realistic.

The Story: The Father and son are 100 percent beleivable. it felt real. it all felt real. The story has been done before in comic books to death--nice to see it done in a realistic manner.

you, your children, your grandparents should read this., 17 Nov 2008
This is a chilling look ahead. A brilliant writer. Read this with somebody else in the house and phone access to a therapist. This man is my favourite modern American author.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Strangely compulsive, 21 Nov 2008
This is an odd novel that is challenging to desicribe in an understandable way. A father and son pass several days in fearful existence after some apocolyptic event. We know very little more than that about the background; who are these people? What has happened? How did the main characters survive when it seems others didn't? Building on that background of ignorance the novel describes in fair detail the fear and uncertainty of several day's existence, but without a very clear conlusion. If I read that description in a review then it would hardly inspire me to reach out and take this novel off the shelf and yet it is oddly compulsive and oddly gripping. Despite the descriptive nature of a lot of the narrative that moves on without much sense of plot or story the mood created is spellbinding and the description of bond between father and son is extrmely touching.

Dazzling brilliance..., 20 Nov 2008
This is a dazzling, bewitching book, which takes the rule book and throws it out of the window, yet manages to transfix, and hammer the heart and the mind. I can't vouch for any other McCarthy books as this is my first, but it is breathtaking.

The list of what McCarthy doesn't do is long - no character names, almost no physical description of anyone, no direct dialogue, no explanations, no back story. But the list of what he does do is stunning - the characters have subtlety and are multi-faceted, the bleak new world is portrayed in vivid and impactive tones, and the whole book leaves the reader both shattered and thoughtful. The relationship between the man and his son is touching, elegantly-crafted, underplayed and genuine.

The simple style and basic plot is deliberate, and demands a high level of skill to make it into a thought-provoking and brilliant journey for the reader. This book is proof that it is the mind of the author that makes the difference; these basic resources in most hands would be dull, predictable and immature. McCarthy is able to exploit the gaps in your knowledge, and the absence of detail, as positives; the book treats you as an intelligent adult who wants to form their own opinion, instead of being spoon-fed and signposted.

What a contrast this is to some of the dross out there. How easy it is to recognise a great book when you see it - and how vividly it throws up the contrast between this, and many other lauded authors.


A book that will stay with you.., 20 Nov 2008
The Road was originally released in 2006, and one year later, it was the winner of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It has received many outstanding reviews, but also some negative. With the release of Harvey Weinstein's film in 2009, panmacmillan are releasing a film tie-in version.

The Road tells of a journey taken by a man and his son, years following an unnamed catastrophe that has befallen North America, and presumably the rest of the world. There are brief hints as to what has happened, but nothing more. Most of life has gone.. plants are dead, and most species are extinct.

This is not an action tale, which seems to be the main point of the negative reviews. The story does not depend on moments of drama or terror, but rather the day to day struggle to exist, in a bleak world.

The style is basic and minimal, with no chapters, and no speech marks. It takes a while to get used to, but once involved in the book, the style allows the journey and the story to unfold, without any distraction.

Set against this dark background, is the close relationship between the father and son, as they continuously strive to survive. This closeness is ever apparent, as they rely on each other day to day. Through them you feel fear, love and also hope, as they attempt their continuous journey together.

An action book this may not be, but it's certainly one that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Harrowing. try not to cry at the end like i did., 19 Nov 2008
The Dialouge: spare rhythmical exchange between father and son in a post apocolyptic hell world. ( I believed every word they said to each other, Realism!!! so amazing)

The Writing: some good similies. the Father's thoughts are beautiful and realistic.

The Story: The Father and son are 100 percent beleivable. it felt real. it all felt real. The story has been done before in comic books to death--nice to see it done in a realistic manner.

you, your children, your grandparents should read this., 17 Nov 2008
This is a chilling look ahead. A brilliant writer. Read this with somebody else in the house and phone access to a therapist. This man is my favourite modern American author.

Timeless, 17 Nov 2008
This is my favourite novel of all time. I have read it so many times, I know it off by heart and also have the film.
The character of Scout is wise beyond her years and exposes the cruel, harsh, but contrastingly and most importantly, compassionate tendancies of the 1930s adult world. She reveals to us the true mockingbird (Tom Robinson) of the story and how someone that does nothing but selfless and honest work can be treated in such a way by others that it elicits sympathy from any third party- e.g us as readers. The setting is also vividly described- you can imagine yourself sitting on the dusty porch with Atticus, watching the sun set and see Jem and Scout with Dill. The innocence of Scout, in its totality, is what allows the reader to follow the story to the very end and appreciate it as many generations before have done so.

There are possibly very few who would regret reading this novel. It is timeless and engrossing.

A little slow, but fantastic!!, 30 Oct 2008
When I first picked up this novel, hearing that it was a classic, i thought it would too dreary for me as I was used to the quickly paced modern fiction. I was very wrong.

Even though the story is slow, you come to realise just how drenched the town is in prejudice. Harper Lee gets across the themes and characters very well.

A great read. Deserved to be called a classic.

To kill a mockingbird?, 14 Oct 2008
An absolute 'MUST READ' - a real challenge to your consciousness and your thoughts about right and wrong - what a characterful and honest book - just couldn't put it down.

tolerance , 15 Sep 2008
It's been ages since I've read this book so I'm not going to say much but this book should be read. Teachers have started not to study this book in schools because it has the word nigger in it (well in this country they have started to stop). It's more important now to read it them ever, this book promotes tolerance rather than racism. It's not the quickest book to read but it's a great book, I'm never going to give this book away.

One of the best and moving books ever written, 08 Aug 2008
I first read this book as a compulsory text for school and since then have read it countless number of times. It is such a beautiful story that is relevant to every society. You must take your time reading it and not rush it because there are so many hidden depths and meanings. "Shoot all the bluejays you want but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird". Everyone must read this book, it's beautiful.

Since his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent". Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his 16-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins:

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them.

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive), capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation. --Amazon.comSince his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent". Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his 16-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins:

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them.

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive), capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation. --Amazon.com

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Strangely compulsive, 21 Nov 2008
This is an odd novel that is challenging to desicribe in an understandable way. A father and son pass several days in fearful existence after some apocolyptic event. We know very little more than that about the background; who are these people? What has happened? How did the main characters survive when it seems others didn't? Building on that background of ignorance the novel describes in fair detail the fear and uncertainty of several day's existence, but without a very clear conlusion. If I read that description in a review then it would hardly inspire me to reach out and take this novel off the shelf and yet it is oddly compulsive and oddly gripping. Despite the descriptive nature of a lot of the narrative that moves on without much sense of plot or story the mood created is spellbinding and the description of bond between father and son is extrmely touching.

Dazzling brilliance..., 20 Nov 2008
This is a dazzling, bewitching book, which takes the rule book and throws it out of the window, yet manages to transfix, and hammer the heart and the mind. I can't vouch for any other McCarthy books as this is my first, but it is breathtaking.

The list of what McCarthy doesn't do is long - no character names, almost no physical description of anyone, no direct dialogue, no explanations, no back story. But the list of what he does do is stunning - the characters have subtlety and are multi-faceted, the bleak new world is portrayed in vivid and impactive tones, and the whole book leaves the reader both shattered and thoughtful. The relationship between the man and his son is touching, elegantly-crafted, underplayed and genuine.

The simple style and basic plot is deliberate, and demands a high level of skill to make it into a thought-provoking and brilliant journey for the reader. This book is proof that it is the mind of the author that makes the difference; these basic resources in most hands would be dull, predictable and immature. McCarthy is able to exploit the gaps in your knowledge, and the absence of detail, as positives; the book treats you as an intelligent adult who wants to form their own opinion, instead of being spoon-fed and signposted.

What a contrast this is to some of the dross out there. How easy it is to recognise a great book when you see it - and how vividly it throws up the contrast between this, and many other lauded authors.


A book that will stay with you.., 20 Nov 2008
The Road was originally released in 2006, and one year later, it was the winner of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It has received many outstanding reviews, but also some negative. With the release of Harvey Weinstein's film in 2009, panmacmillan are releasing a film tie-in version.

The Road tells of a journey taken by a man and his son, years following an unnamed catastrophe that has befallen North America, and presumably the rest of the world. There are brief hints as to what has happened, but nothing more. Most of life has gone.. plants are dead, and most species are extinct.

This is not an action tale, which seems to be the main point of the negative reviews. The story does not depend on moments of drama or terror, but rather the day to day struggle to exist, in a bleak world.

The style is basic and minimal, with no chapters, and no speech marks. It takes a while to get used to, but once involved in the book, the style allows the journey and the story to unfold, without any distraction.

Set against this dark background, is the close relationship between the father and son, as they continuously strive to survive. This closeness is ever apparent, as they rely on each other day to day. Through them you feel fear, love and also hope, as they attempt their continuous journey together.

An action book this may not be, but it's certainly one that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Harrowing. try not to cry at the end like i did., 19 Nov 2008
The Dialouge: spare rhythmical exchange between father and son in a post apocolyptic hell world. ( I believed every word they said to each other, Realism!!! so amazing)

The Writing: some good similies. the Father's thoughts are beautiful and realistic.

The Story: The Father and son are 100 percent beleivable. it felt real. it all felt real. The story has been done before in comic books to death--nice to see it done in a realistic manner.

you, your children, your grandparents should read this., 17 Nov 2008
This is a chilling look ahead. A brilliant writer. Read this with somebody else in the house and phone access to a therapist. This man is my favourite modern American author.

Timeless, 17 Nov 2008
This is my favourite novel of all time. I have read it so many times, I know it off by heart and also have the film.
The character of Scout is wise beyond her years and exposes the cruel, harsh, but contrastingly and most importantly, compassionate tendancies of the 1930s adult world. She reveals to us the true mockingbird (Tom Robinson) of the story and how someone that does nothing but selfless and honest work can be treated in such a way by others that it elicits sympathy from any third party- e.g us as readers. The setting is also vividly described- you can imagine yourself sitting on the dusty porch with Atticus, watching the sun set and see Jem and Scout with Dill. The innocence of Scout, in its totality, is what allows the reader to follow the story to the very end and appreciate it as many generations before have done so.

There are possibly very few who would regret reading this novel. It is timeless and engrossing.

A little slow, but fantastic!!, 30 Oct 2008
When I first picked up this novel, hearing that it was a classic, i thought it would too dreary for me as I was used to the quickly paced modern fiction. I was very wrong.

Even though the story is slow, you come to realise just how drenched the town is in prejudice. Harper Lee gets across the themes and characters very well.

A great read. Deserved to be called a classic.

To kill a mockingbird?, 14 Oct 2008
An absolute 'MUST READ' - a real challenge to your consciousness and your thoughts about right and wrong - what a characterful and honest book - just couldn't put it down.

tolerance , 15 Sep 2008
It's been ages since I've read this book so I'm not going to say much but this book should be read. Teachers have started not to study this book in schools because it has the word nigger in it (well in this country they have started to stop). It's more important now to read it them ever, this book promotes tolerance rather than racism. It's not the quickest book to read but it's a great book, I'm never going to give this book away.

One of the best and moving books ever written, 08 Aug 2008
I first read this book as a compulsory text for school and since then have read it countless number of times. It is such a beautiful story that is relevant to every society. You must take your time reading it and not rush it because there are so many hidden depths and meanings. "Shoot all the bluejays you want but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird". Everyone must read this book, it's beautiful.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Strangely compulsive, 21 Nov 2008
This is an odd novel that is challenging to desicribe in an understandable way. A father and son pass several days in fearful existence after some apocolyptic event. We know very little more than that about the background; who are these people? What has happened? How did the main characters survive when it seems others didn't? Building on that background of ignorance the novel describes in fair detail the fear and uncertainty of several day's existence, but without a very clear conlusion. If I read that description in a review then it would hardly inspire me to reach out and take this novel off the shelf and yet it is oddly compulsive and oddly gripping. Despite the descriptive nature of a lot of the narrative that moves on without much sense of plot or story the mood created is spellbinding and the description of bond between father and son is extrmely touching.

Dazzling brilliance..., 20 Nov 2008
This is a dazzling, bewitching book, which takes the rule book and throws it out of the window, yet manages to transfix, and hammer the heart and the mind. I can't vouch for any other McCarthy books as this is my first, but it is breathtaking.

The list of what McCarthy doesn't do is long - no character names, almost no physical description of anyone, no direct dialogue, no explanations, no back story. But the list of what he does do is stunning - the characters have subtlety and are multi-faceted, the bleak new world is portrayed in vivid and impactive tones, and the whole book leaves the reader both shattered and thoughtful. The relationship between the man and his son is touching, elegantly-crafted, underplayed and genuine.

The simple style and basic plot is deliberate, and demands a high level of skill to make it into a thought-provoking and brilliant journey for the reader. This book is proof that it is the mind of the author that makes the difference; these basic resources in most hands would be dull, predictable and immature. McCarthy is able to exploit the gaps in your knowledge, and the absence of detail, as positives; the book treats you as an intelligent adult who wants to form their own opinion, instead of being spoon-fed and signposted.

What a contrast this is to some of the dross out there. How easy it is to recognise a great book when you see it - and how vividly it throws up the contrast between this, and many other lauded authors.


A book that will stay with you.., 20 Nov 2008
The Road was originally released in 2006, and one year later, it was the winner of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It has received many outstanding reviews, but also some negative. With the release of Harvey Weinstein's film in 2009, panmacmillan are releasing a film tie-in version.

The Road tells of a journey taken by a man and his son, years following an unnamed catastrophe that has befallen North America, and presumably the rest of the world. There are brief hints as to what has happened, but nothing more. Most of life has gone.. plants are dead, and most species are extinct.

This is not an action tale, which seems to be the main point of the negative reviews. The story does not depend on moments of drama or terror, but rather the day to day struggle to exist, in a bleak world.

The style is basic and minimal, with no chapters, and no speech marks. It takes a while to get used to, but once involved in the book, the style allows the journey and the story to unfold, without any distraction.

Set against this dark background, is the close relationship between the father and son, as they continuously strive to survive. This closeness is ever apparent, as they rely on each other day to day. Through them you feel fear, love and also hope, as they attempt their continuous journey together.

An action book this may not be, but it's certainly one that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Harrowing. try not to cry at the end like i did., 19 Nov 2008
The Dialouge: spare rhythmical exchange between father and son in a post apocolyptic hell world. ( I believed every word they said to each other, Realism!!! so amazing)

The Writing: some good similies. the Father's thoughts are beautiful and realistic.

The Story: The Father and son are 100 percent beleivable. it felt real. it all felt real. The story has been done before in comic books to death--nice to see it done in a realistic manner.

you, your children, your grandparents should read this., 17 Nov 2008
This is a chilling look ahead. A brilliant writer. Read this with somebody else in the house and phone access to a therapist. This man is my favourite modern American author.

Timeless, 17 Nov 2008
This is my favourite novel of all time. I have read it so many times, I know it off by heart and also have the film.
The character of Scout is wise beyond her years and exposes the cruel, harsh, but contrastingly and most importantly, compassionate tendancies of the 1930s adult world. She reveals to us the true mockingbird (Tom Robinson) of the story and how someone that does nothing but selfless and honest work can be treated in such a way by others that it elicits sympathy from any third party- e.g us as readers. The setting is also vividly described- you can imagine yourself sitting on the dusty porch with Atticus, watching the sun set and see Jem and Scout with Dill. The innocence of Scout, in its totality, is what allows the reader to follow the story to the very end and appreciate it as many generations before have done so.

There are possibly very few who would regret reading this novel. It is timeless and engrossing.

A little slow, but fantastic!!, 30 Oct 2008
When I first picked up this novel, hearing that it was a classic, i thought it would too dreary for me as I was used to the quickly paced modern fiction. I was very wrong.

Even though the story is slow, you come to realise just how drenched the town is in prejudice. Harper Lee gets across the themes and characters very well.

A great read. Deserved to be called a classic.

To kill a mockingbird?, 14 Oct 2008
An absolute 'MUST READ' - a real challenge to your consciousness and your thoughts about right and wrong - what a characterful and honest book - just couldn't put it down.

tolerance , 15 Sep 2008
It's been ages since I've read this book so I'm not going to say much but this book should be read. Teachers have started not to study this book in schools because it has the word nigger in it (well in this country they have started to stop). It's more important now to read it them ever, this book promotes tolerance rather than racism. It's not the quickest book to read but it's a great book, I'm never going to give this book away.

One of the best and moving books ever written, 08 Aug 2008
I first read this book as a compulsory text for school and since then have read it countless number of times. It is such a beautiful story that is relevant to every society. You must take your time reading it and not rush it because there are so many hidden depths and meanings. "Shoot all the bluejays you want but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird". Everyone must read this book, it's beautiful.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Strangely compulsive, 21 Nov 2008
This is an odd novel that is challenging to desicribe in an understandable way. A father and son pass several days in fearful existence after some apocolyptic event. We know very little more than that about the background; who are these people? What has happened? How did the main characters survive when it seems others didn't? Building on that background of ignorance the novel describes in fair detail the fear and uncertainty of several day's existence, but without a very clear conlusion. If I read that description in a review then it would hardly inspire me to reach out and take this novel off the shelf and yet it is oddly compulsive and oddly gripping. Despite the descriptive nature of a lot of the narrative that moves on without much sense of plot or story the mood created is spellbinding and the description of bond between father and son is extrmely touching.

Dazzling brilliance..., 20 Nov 2008
This is a dazzling, bewitching book, which takes the rule book and throws it out of the window, yet manages to transfix, and hammer the heart and the mind. I can't vouch for any other McCarthy books as this is my first, but it is breathtaking.

The list of what McCarthy doesn't do is long - no character names, almost no physical description of anyone, no direct dialogue, no explanations, no back story. But the list of what he does do is stunning - the characters have subtlety and are multi-faceted, the bleak new world is portrayed in vivid and impactive tones, and the whole book leaves the reader both shattered and thoughtful. The relationship between the man and his son is touching, elegantly-crafted, underplayed and genuine.

The simple style and basic plot is deliberate, and demands a high level of skill to make it into a thought-provoking and brilliant journey for the reader. This book is proof that it is the mind of the author that makes the difference; these basic resources in most hands would be dull, predictable and immature. McCarthy is able to exploit the gaps in your knowledge, and the absence of detail, as positives; the book treats you as an intelligent adult who wants to form their own opinion, instead of being spoon-fed and signposted.

What a contrast this is to some of the dross out there. How easy it is to recognise a great book when you see it - and how vividly it throws up the contrast between this, and many other lauded authors.


A book that will stay with you.., 20 Nov 2008
The Road was originally released in 2006, and one year later, it was the winner of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It has received many outstanding reviews, but also some negative. With the release of Harvey Weinstein's film in 2009, panmacmillan are releasing a film tie-in version.

The Road tells of a journey taken by a man and his son, years following an unnamed catastrophe that has befallen North America, and presumably the rest of the world. There are brief hints as to what has happened, but nothing more. Most of life has gone.. plants are dead, and most species are extinct.

This is not an action tale, which seems to be the main point of the negative reviews. The story does not depend on moments of drama or terror, but rather the day to day struggle to exist, in a bleak world.

The style is basic and minimal, with no chapters, and no speech marks. It takes a while to get used to, but once involved in the book, the style allows the journey and the story to unfold, without any distraction.

Set against this dark background, is the close relationship between the father and son, as they continuously strive to survive. This closeness is ever apparent, as they rely on each other day to day. Through them you feel fear, love and also hope, as they attempt their continuous journey together.

An action book this may not be, but it's certainly one that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Harrowing. try not to cry at the end like i did., 19 Nov 2008
The Dialouge: spare rhythmical exchange between father and son in a post apocolyptic hell world. ( I believed every word they said to each other, Realism!!! so amazing)

The Writing: some good similies. the Father's thoughts are beautiful and realistic.

The Story: The Father and son are 100 percent beleivable. it felt real. it all felt real. The story has been done before in comic books to death--nice to see it done in a realistic manner.

you, your children, your grandparents should read this., 17 Nov 2008
This is a chilling look ahead. A brilliant writer. Read this with somebody else in the house and phone access to a therapist. This man is my favourite modern American author.

Timeless, 17 Nov 2008
This is my favourite novel of all time. I have read it so many times, I know it off by heart and also have the film.
The character of Scout is wise beyond her years and exposes the cruel, harsh, but contrastingly and most importantly, compassionate tendancies of the 1930s adult world. She reveals to us the true mockingbird (Tom Robinson) of the story and how someone that does nothing but selfless and honest work can be treated in such a way by others that it elicits sympathy from any third party- e.g us as readers. The setting is also vividly described- you can imagine yourself sitting on the dusty porch with Atticus, watching the sun set and see Jem and Scout with Dill. The innocence of Scout, in its totality, is what allows the reader to follow the story to the very end and appreciate it as many generations before have done so.

There are possibly very few who would regret reading this novel. It is timeless and engrossing.

A little slow, but fantastic!!, 30 Oct 2008
When I first picked up this novel, hearing that it was a classic, i thought it would too dreary for me as I was used to the quickly paced modern fiction. I was very wrong.

Even though the story is slow, you come to realise just how drenched the town is in prejudice. Harper Lee gets across the themes and characters very well.

A great read. Deserved to be called a classic.

To kill a mockingbird?, 14 Oct 2008
An absolute 'MUST READ' - a real challenge to your consciousness and your thoughts about right and wrong - what a characterful and honest book - just couldn't put it down.

tolerance , 15 Sep 2008
It's been ages since I've read this book so I'm not going to say much but this book should be read. Teachers have started not to study this book in schools because it has the word nigger in it (well in this country they have started to stop). It's more important now to read it them ever, this book promotes tolerance rather than racism. It's not the quickest book to read but it's a great book, I'm never going to give this book away.

One of the best and moving books ever written, 08 Aug 2008
I first read this book as a compulsory text for school and since then have read it countless number of times. It is such a beautiful story that is relevant to every society. You must take your time reading it and not rush it because there are so many hidden depths and meanings. "Shoot all the bluejays you want but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird". Everyone must read this book, it's beautiful.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination



Dull, 20 Nov 2008
Well this one won't keep you awake at night. As a modest runner myself I found much of this book tedious, samey and uninspiring. A book like this is crying out for some dazzling insight into the process, the feeling, the elation of running but instead the reader just gets a not very interesting insight into the writer himself. I can't help but think that Murakami is just doing a walk-through here, scraping the barrel for a few old diary entries at the behest of his publisher. One run merges into another with only the degree of self-indulgence being the main distinguishing feature of each. More than anything I was surprised by the author's afterword in which he claimed to have honed and polished his work ad infinitum before finally releasing it. It doesn't show. Or maybe, to be a little kinder to him, it's just the translation.

A journalist the other day mentioned something called the 'aphrodisiac effect', a kind of updated version of the Emperor's new clothes. When in the vicinity of greatness, talent, fame or power people go all gooey, leaving their normal critical faculties at the door. How else, he mused, could you explain all the leggy blondes that used to flock round Henry Kissinger, or the people who hang on the every word of Bill Gates? Much the same, I suspect, is happening with Murakami and this book. Just like Henri Cartier-Bresson is overrated as a photographer (there, I've said it) so Murakami just has to cobble together some not very coherent musings and his adoring public will ensure that he rises to the top of the best-sellers lists.

Truly Disappointing..., 12 Nov 2008
I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree with the few dissenters amongst the reviewers of this book. It was a complete let-down. Indulgent, poorly translated and factually weak, it missed the point completely. As a seasoned runner of twenty years experience I can, to some degree empathise with the author's feelings towards his need to run and the daily grind this inherently brings. However, any book worth it's salt needs to be engaging, entertaining and enlightening. This book was none of these.

The author failed to mention the obsessive-compulsive aspect of running training, the heart-ache, the time away from family and loved-ones not to mention the great highs the sport can also bestow.

After the first 50 pages I was left feeling cheated and a little concerned that an author of such undoubted talents (given his previous work), could submit such an 'unfinished and uninspiring' piece to market.

So, to conclude, if you're considering purchasing this book or browsing in your local shop and contemplating spending your hard-earned... run, run away, as fast as you can.

so disappointed, 25 Oct 2008
I have just read the other reviews of this book and have to say I am in complete disagreement with them. I would say this is the most disappointing book I have read. I felt it failed on every level. It was not entertaining, informative, thought provoking or particularly well written. It seemed incredibly self indulgent on the part of the author. As someone who has run fairly seriously for the past 40 years, his musings were obvious, one-dimensionsal and boring. I kept thinking 'so what?' 'who cares?'. Why did he need to tell us he was a talented, award-winning writer? Perhaps because, if like me the reader had no previous exposure to his novels, we would never have guessed from this offering. If he wants to compare his writing to his running, then he has just had the equivalent of a 'stinker' of a race. I questioned what his editor/publisher was thinking about in releasing this material, however judging from the acclaim of other reviewers(are they simply fans who refuse to see that on this occasion their emperor had no shorts and vest on?)perhaps I have to accept that they are all right and I am wrong. That said, I know the extreme reaction the book prompted in me; I felt cheated and defrauded to the point I wrote to the publisher two weeks ago asking for a refund. I am still awaiting a reply.

Writing and running at its best, 17 Oct 2008
I enjoyed this book immensely, both as someone who has read all of Murakami's books available in English, and as someone who has just trained for and run a half marathon.

For the first time, Murakami publishes a unique insight into the man behind the vivid imagination that created all his legendary titles, explaining how he started running to stay fit while sitting at home writing, and how the discipline he attaches to writing is very much the same discipline it takes to run an average of 6 miles a day, every day, for the last 23 or 24 years.

Having just trained for a reasonbly long run for 4 months, and run "only" 3 to 4 times a week, I enjoyed finding that Murakami describes so well the thoughts of a runner - he sums up brilliantly how you overcome the fatigue and pain when running by stating: "pain is inevitable, suffering is not". Once you realise that, he explains it is a matter of how you manage your expectations when focussing on any task that requires stamina, dedication and a bit of pain, be it running, writing or anything else in life.

The other aspect of Murakami's personal life that comes out of this book is his sad realisation that you can not beat the ageing process; no matter how much he trains, he can not improve on his times any more, and he acknowledges with much pain the inevitability of getting older by the day. Alongside his diminishing running capabilities, he fears that his best writing years may be past him, though he takes comfort from knowing that a few writers produced their best works in their late years.

We will have to see what else Murakami has to offer - I certainly will continue to buy his books.



The Lonliness Of A Long Distance Writer, 30 Sep 2008
Anyone who knows anything of Murakmi's work should be aware that a book about running written by him won't just be a book about running. Short, but never slight, the book muses on many subjects from memory, to why he started writing, perfecting a swimming technique, to some of the best music to run to. All written in Murakmi's own distinctive voice.

Whatever he writes about this is Murakami's voice you're hearing. There is insight into the kind of person he is and also the kind of person runners are. There is plenty of running here and at times it does almost feel like the book has been written at the pace of a long run as its energy is brisk yet economical. For anyone looking for a big novel, it's not here. For anyone who wants a look into the world of a man who likes to write and run and tell you about it there's enough here to keep you entertained for a while.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Strangely compulsive, 21 Nov 2008
This is an odd novel that is challenging to desicribe in an understandable way. A father and son pass several days in fearful existence after some apocolyptic event. We know very little more than that about the background; who are these people? What has happened? How did the main characters survive when it seems others didn't? Building on that background of ignorance the novel describes in fair detail the fear and uncertainty of several day's existence, but without a very clear conlusion. If I read that description in a review then it would hardly inspire me to reach out and take this novel off the shelf and yet it is oddly compulsive and oddly gripping. Despite the descriptive nature of a lot of the narrative that moves on without much sense of plot or story the mood created is spellbinding and the description of bond between father and son is extrmely touching.

Dazzling brilliance..., 20 Nov 2008
This is a dazzling, bewitching book, which takes the rule book and throws it out of the window, yet manages to transfix, and hammer the heart and the mind. I can't vouch for any other McCarthy books as this is my first, but it is breathtaking.

The list of what McCarthy doesn't do is long - no character names, almost no physical description of anyone, no direct dialogue, no explanations, no back story. But the list of what he does do is stunning - the characters have subtlety and are multi-faceted, the bleak new world is portrayed in vivid and impactive tones, and the whole book leaves the reader both shattered and thoughtful. The relationship between the man and his son is touching, elegantly-crafted, underplayed and genuine.

The simple style and basic plot is deliberate, and demands a high level of skill to make it into a thought-provoking and brilliant journey for the reader. This book is proof that it is the mind of the author that makes the difference; these basic resources in most hands would be dull, predictable and immature. McCarthy is able to exploit the gaps in your knowledge, and the absence of detail, as positives; the book treats you as an intelligent adult who wants to form their own opinion, instead of being spoon-fed and signposted.

What a contrast this is to some of the dross out there. How easy it is to recognise a great book when you see it - and how vividly it throws up the contrast between this, and many other lauded authors.


A book that will stay with you.., 20 Nov 2008
The Road was originally released in 2006, and one year later, it was the winner of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It has received many outstanding reviews, but also some negative. With the release of Harvey Weinstein's film in 2009, panmacmillan are releasing a film tie-in version.

The Road tells of a journey taken by a man and his son, years following an unnamed catastrophe that has befallen North America, and presumably the rest of the world. There are brief hints as to what has happened, but nothing more. Most of life has gone.. plants are dead, and most species are extinct.

This is not an action tale, which seems to be the main point of the negative reviews. The story does not depend on moments of drama or terror, but rather the day to day struggle to exist, in a bleak world.

The style is basic and minimal, with no chapters, and no speech marks. It takes a while to get used to, but once involved in the book, the style allows the journey and the story to unfold, without any distraction.

Set against this dark background, is the close relationship between the father and son, as they continuously strive to survive. This closeness is ever apparent, as they rely on each other day to day. Through them you feel fear, love and also hope, as they attempt their continuous journey together.

An action book this may not be, but it's certainly one that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Harrowing. try not to cry at the end like i did., 19 Nov 2008
The Dialouge: spare rhythmical exchange between father and son in a post apocolyptic hell world. ( I believed every word they said to each other, Realism!!! so amazing)

The Writing: some good similies. the Father's thoughts are beautiful and realistic.

The Story: The Father and son are 100 percent beleivable. it felt real. it all felt real. The story has been done before in comic books to death--nice to see it done in a realistic manner.

you, your children, your grandparents should read this., 17 Nov 2008
This is a chilling look ahead. A brilliant writer. Read this with somebody else in the house and phone access to a therapist. This man is my favourite modern American author.

Timeless, 17 Nov 2008
This is my favourite novel of all time. I have read it so many times, I know it off by heart and also have the film.
The character of Scout is wise beyond her years and exposes the cruel, harsh, but contrastingly and most importantly, compassionate tendancies of the 1930s adult world. She reveals to us the true mockingbird (Tom Robinson) of the story and how someone that does nothing but selfless and honest work can be treated in such a way by others that it elicits sympathy from any third party- e.g us as readers. The setting is also vividly described- you can imagine yourself sitting on the dusty porch with Atticus, watching the sun set and see Jem and Scout with Dill. The innocence of Scout, in its totality, is what allows the reader to follow the story to the very end and appreciate it as many generations before have done so.

There are possibly very few who would regret reading this novel. It is timeless and engrossing.

A little slow, but fantastic!!, 30 Oct 2008
When I first picked up this novel, hearing that it was a classic, i thought it would too dreary for me as I was used to the quickly paced modern fiction. I was very wrong.

Even though the story is slow, you come to realise just how drenched the town is in prejudice. Harper Lee gets across the themes and characters very well.

A great read. Deserved to be called a classic.

To kill a mockingbird?, 14 Oct 2008
An absolute 'MUST READ' - a real challenge to your consciousness and your thoughts about right and wrong - what a characterful and honest book - just couldn't put it down.

tolerance , 15 Sep 2008
It's been ages since I've read this book so I'm not going to say much but this book should be read. Teachers have started not to study this book in schools because it has the word nigger in it (well in this country they have started to stop). It's more important now to read it them ever, this book promotes tolerance rather than racism. It's not the quickest book to read but it's a great book, I'm never going to give this book away.

One of the best and moving books ever written, 08 Aug 2008
I first read this book as a compulsory text for school and since then have read it countless number of times. It is such a beautiful story that is relevant to every society. You must take your time reading it and not rush it because there are so many hidden depths and meanings. "Shoot all the bluejays you want but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird". Everyone must read this book, it's beautiful.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination



Dull, 20 Nov 2008
Well this one won't keep you awake at night. As a modest runner myself I found much of this book tedious, samey and uninspiring. A book like this is crying out for some dazzling insight into the process, the feeling, the elation of running but instead the reader just gets a not very interesting insight into the writer himself. I can't help but think that Murakami is just doing a walk-through here, scraping the barrel for a few old diary entries at the behest of his publisher. One run merges into another with only the degree of self-indulgence being the main distinguishing feature of each. More than anything I was surprised by the author's afterword in which he claimed to have honed and polished his work ad infinitum before finally releasing it. It doesn't show. Or maybe, to be a little kinder to him, it's just the translation.

A journalist the other day mentioned something called the 'aphrodisiac effect', a kind of updated version of the Emperor's new clothes. When in the vicinity of greatness, talent, fame or power people go all gooey, leaving their normal critical faculties at the door. How else, he mused, could you explain all the leggy blondes that used to flock round Henry Kissinger, or the people who hang on the every word of Bill Gates? Much the same, I suspect, is happening with Murakami and this book. Just like Henri Cartier-Bresson is overrated as a photographer (there, I've said it) so Murakami just has to cobble together some not very coherent musings and his adoring public will ensure that he rises to the top of the best-sellers lists.

Truly Disappointing..., 12 Nov 2008
I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree with the few dissenters amongst the reviewers of this book. It was a complete let-down. Indulgent, poorly translated and factually weak, it missed the point completely. As a seasoned runner of twenty years experience I can, to some degree empathise with the author's feelings towards his need to run and the daily grind this inherently brings. However, any book worth it's salt needs to be engaging, entertaining and enlightening. This book was none of these.

The author failed to mention the obsessive-compulsive aspect of running training, the heart-ache, the time away from family and loved-ones not to mention the great highs the sport can also bestow.

After the first 50 pages I was left feeling cheated and a little concerned that an author of such undoubted talents (given his previous work), could submit such an 'unfinished and uninspiring' piece to market.

So, to conclude, if you're considering purchasing this book or browsing in your local shop and contemplating spending your hard-earned... run, run away, as fast as you can.

so disappointed, 25 Oct 2008
I have just read the other reviews of this book and have to say I am in complete disagreement with them. I would say this is the most disappointing book I have read. I felt it failed on every level. It was not entertaining, informative, thought provoking or particularly well written. It seemed incredibly self indulgent on the part of the author. As someone who has run fairly seriously for the past 40 years, his musings were obvious, one-dimensionsal and boring. I kept thinking 'so what?' 'who cares?'. Why did he need to tell us he was a talented, award-winning writer? Perhaps because, if like me the reader had no previous exposure to his novels, we would never have guessed from this offering. If he wants to compare his writing to his running, then he has just had the equivalent of a 'stinker' of a race. I questioned what his editor/publisher was thinking about in releasing this material, however judging from the acclaim of other reviewers(are they simply fans who refuse to see that on this occasion their emperor had no shorts and vest on?)perhaps I have to accept that they are all right and I am wrong. That said, I know the extreme reaction the book prompted in me; I felt cheated and defrauded to the point I wrote to the publisher two weeks ago asking for a refund. I am still awaiting a reply.

Writing and running at its best, 17 Oct 2008
I enjoyed this book immensely, both as someone who has read all of Murakami's books available in English, and as someone who has just trained for and run a half marathon.

For the first time, Murakami publishes a unique insight into the man behind the vivid imagination that created all his legendary titles, explaining how he started running to stay fit while sitting at home writing, and how the discipline he attaches to writing is very much the same discipline it takes to run an average of 6 miles a day, every day, for the last 23 or 24 years.

Having just trained for a reasonbly long run for 4 months, and run "only" 3 to 4 times a week, I enjoyed finding that Murakami describes so well the thoughts of a runner - he sums up brilliantly how you overcome the fatigue and pain when running by stating: "pain is inevitable, suffering is not". Once you realise that, he explains it is a matter of how you manage your expectations when focussing on any task that requires stamina, dedication and a bit of pain, be it running, writing or anything else in life.

The other aspect of Murakami's personal life that comes out of this book is his sad realisation that you can not beat the ageing process; no matter how much he trains, he can not improve on his times any more, and he acknowledges with much pain the inevitability of getting older by the day. Alongside his diminishing running capabilities, he fears that his best writing years may be past him, though he takes comfort from knowing that a few writers produced their best works in their late years.

We will have to see what else Murakami has to offer - I certainly will continue to buy his books.



The Lonliness Of A Long Distance Writer, 30 Sep 2008
Anyone who knows anything of Murakmi's work should be aware that a book about running written by him won't just be a book about running. Short, but never slight, the book muses on many subjects from memory, to why he started writing, perfecting a swimming technique, to some of the best music to run to. All written in Murakmi's own distinctive voice.

Whatever he writes about this is Murakami's voice you're hearing. There is insight into the kind of person he is and also the kind of person runners are. There is plenty of running here and at times it does almost feel like the book has been written at the pace of a long run as its energy is brisk yet economical. For anyone looking for a big novel, it's not here. For anyone who wants a look into the world of a man who likes to write and run and tell you about it there's enough here to keep you entertained for a while.

Modern literature at it's finest! (Minor spoilers), 30 Oct 2008
Let's get the gracious comments out of the way... This is, without a doubt, the most ideologically-brilliant book I've ever read; so much so it's hard to believe this was written over 60 years ago. I just finished reading it on the bus this morning and, much to the oddity my friends, a cheeky grin was here all morning.

It has to be said though that the grin was built more on admiration for Orwells writing standards than the sad final sentence of the novel, for beneath the futuristic subject matter you may believe this entails lies a world of deception, propaganda, and violence - the harsh realities of a world that ceases to re-write history.

I'm sure from the other reviewers you've got the jist of the plot. In a 3rd person narrative, we see life around the protagonist Winston; a worker for the Ministry of Truth in the year 1984. Though Winston is a 'Party-Hater' (he secretly rebels against the way society is run) his job is to endlessly take documents from the past and present, and to simply re-write them to suit the needs of the party. And those needs can change at any time; whether it be who fought who in a battle, or why the sky is blue.

The roots of this diabolical society lead to 'Big Brother', who throughout the novel, remains a mysterious leader; a "face" on posters and TV, as its to anyone's guess whether he is indeed real or manifested by The Party (the name of the centralised government). All The Party want is Political power - and with millions of people in 'love' with Big Brother, they have total control on what they hear, see, and should do.

The novel is split into 3 main chapters; Part I, Part II and Part III, each separating important moments in the story, while sub-chapters allow you to bookmark the book easily. Orwell's division of these Parts is particularly clever; Part 1 can be seen as a more progressive, atmosphere builder, while Part 2 engages excitement and romance, leaving the thrilling Part 3 as a brutal and, sometimes, cringing section that you never want to end.

What I love about the novel is that while Orwell has superbly boxed most questions, the story also creates questions that have no answer. Is Big Brother made up? Was Julia a member of The Party? Was Mr Charringtons shop a means of exposing party-haters? Without wanting to expose the spoilers the story, their are so many themes which can be analysed; the sign of a clever writer, particularly as Orwell was ill for most parts of the writing.

The accuracy to which this book is written is also astounding; the fact such modern ideals are highlighted is incredible. Orwell uses one of his Party character's (O'Brien) near the end of the novel to highlight the collapse of the Nazi party, and the beginning of the Cold War, though of course in the story, Winston is forced to believe that the Big Brother society is perfect in every way; surpassing any previous controversial party in the past, which of course O'Brien highlights. As far as I could read, their were only two sections I scratched my head at... Firstly, Winston in Part 2 with Julia explains how a particular field they were laying near had an Atomic Bomb dropped on i